Printer device

Abstract

A printer device includes: an ink circulation flow path in which ink is circulated; a discharge head that discharges the ink supplied from the ink circulation flow path; a circulation pump and a circulation motor that circulate the ink in the ink circulation flow path; a circulation filter provided in the ink circulation flow path; and control unit that determines a blocked state of the circulation filter and performs drive control of the circulation motor in accordance with a determination result, and the control unit drives the circulation motor in a first mode until it is determined that the circulation filter is in a blocked state, and after it is determined that the circulation filter is in a blocked state, the control unit drives the circulation motor in a second mode that provides a smaller circulation rate than the first mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A printer device comprising:
 an ink circulation flow path to circulate ink; 
 an ink discharge unit to discharge the ink supplied from an ink cartridge; 
 an ink supply flow path to supply the ink from the ink cartridge to the ink discharge unit; 
 a first filter disposed between the ink cartridge and the ink discharge unit in the ink supply flow path; 
 a circulation unit to circulate the ink in the ink circulation flow path; 
 a second filter provided in the ink circulation flow path; 
 a determination unit to determine whether the second filter is in a blocked state; and 
 a control unit to control the circulation unit, wherein 
 one end of the ink circulation flow path is connected to the ink supply flow path between the first filter and the ink discharge unit, and an other end of the ink circulation flow path is connected to the ink supply flow path between the ink cartridge and the first filter, and 
 the control unit is configured to drive the circulation unit in a first mode until the determination unit determines that the second filter is in a blocked state, and after the determination unit determines that the second filter is in the blocked state, the control unit is configured to drive the circulation unit in a second mode that provides a lower circulation rate than the first mode. 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1  further comprising a pressure sensor for determining a pressure in the ink circulation flow path,
 wherein the determination unit is configured to determine in accordance with a detection result determined by the pressure sensor whether the second filter is in a blocked state. 
 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the circulation unit is configured to circulate the ink by performing intermittent driving of a motor, and 
 wherein the pressure sensor is for determining the pressure in a suspension period of the intermittent driving. 
 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the first mode is a mode in which a suspension period of the intermittent driving is a first period, and the second mode is a mode in which a suspension period of the intermittent driving is a second period that is longer than the first period. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the first period and the second period is a fixed period. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 4 , wherein the control unit is configured to change the second period in accordance with a detection result determined by the pressure sensor. 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 6  further comprising a maintenance unit to perform maintenance of the ink discharge unit by causing the ink discharge unit to discharge ink,
 wherein when the circulation unit is driven in the second mode and a state where the determination unit determines that the second filter is in a blocked state continues to an upper limit of the second period, the control unit is configured to apply an emergency stop of the printer device after causing the maintenance unit to perform the maintenance. 
 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the pressure sensor is for determining a reference pressure value that is a pressure value corresponding to a state where the ink is not circulated in the ink circulation flow path, and 
 wherein when a differential pressure value that is a difference between the reference pressure value and a detection value determined by the pressure sensor is greater than or equal to a threshold, the determination unit determines that the second filter is in a blocked state. 
 
     
     
       9. A printer device comprising:
 an ink circulation flow path to circulate ink; 
 an ink discharge unit to discharge the ink supplied from the ink circulation flow path; 
 a circulation unit to circulate the ink in the ink circulation flow path, the circulation unit being configured to circulate the ink by performing intermittent driving of a motor; 
 a filter provided in the ink circulation flow path; 
 a pressure sensor for determining a pressure in the ink circulation flow path, the pressure sensor being for determining the pressure in a suspension period of the intermittent driving; 
 a determination unit to determine whether the filter is in a blocked state, the determination unit being configured to determine in accordance with a detection result determined by the pressure sensor whether the filter is in the blocked state; 
 a control unit to control the circulation unit and 
 a maintenance unit to perform maintenance of the ink discharge unit by causing the ink discharge unit to discharge ink, wherein 
 wherein the control unit is configured to drive the circulation unit in a first mode until the determination unit determines that the filter is in a blocked state, and after the determination unit determines that the filter is in the blocked state, the control unit is configured to drive the circulation unit in a second mode that provides a lower circulation rate than the first mode, 
 the first mode is a mode in which a suspension period of the intermittent driving is a first period, and the second mode is a mode in which a suspension period of the intermittent driving is a second period that is longer than the first period, and each of the first period and the second period is a fixed period, and 
 when the circulation unit is driven in the second mode and the determination unit determines that the filter is in a blocked state, the control unit is configured to apply an emergency stop of the printer device after causing the maintenance unit to perform the maintenance.